Dance with me
by finmagik
Summary: The Doctor dances with an old companion and tells her a secret.


Peri was bored. The Doctor had talked up this famous club and all the interesting people they would there. It turned out the interesting people were just scientist friends of his. Peri couldn't even begin to join the conversation, which she couldn't understand in the first place. The Doctor was gesticulating wildly and shouting polysyllabic words. Peri quietly got up from the table and went to the bar the crowded bar. She caught the bartender's attention easily.

"Can I have a Cosmopolitan?" She asked.

"Peri!"A man's voice from behind her called."Yes?" She turned around to see a tall, thin, pale man with brown hair over hanging his brow. He was wearing a brown pinstriped suit. And he had the widest, silliest grin on his face.

"Peri, Ms. Perpugilliam Brown!" He exclaimed merrily.

She wondered who this grinning lunatic who knew her name was.

"That's my name," She said nervously. And he grabbed her and gave her a fierce hug. "It's so good to see you again!"

She pushed him away. 'Hold on! Who are you? I don't even know you." She said.

" Yes you do! I'm the Doctor," He said.

"But he's sitting right over there," She said.

"Yes, I am.And I'm here too. He's me about… four regenerations ago. What do you think?" He said turning around.

She laughed and smiled. "Well your thinner, bouncier and your taste in clothes has sure improved."

"Bouncy, I like that." He said.The band started playing a new song. "You want to dance?"

"But you don't dance," Peri said.

"Yes I do," He held his hand to her. "C'mon!"

She took his hand, it was cold just like her Doctor's hand and the Doctor before him. He pulled her onto the dance floor and whirled her about. She felt so fast, so light, so free as they spun about the dance floor. Her Doctor certainly would never…. But someday… he would be this Doctor. The twinkle in his eye that was awfully familiar. They shimmed, twisted, and be-bopped around the dance floor. And he grinned at her, that wide, boyish silly grin of his.

Then there was new slow song, all the couples on the dance floor moved closer. He put his arms around her waist, something her Doctor would never…do. And drew her to him. She placed her hands on his shoulder.

They moved step by step in awkward silence.

"Maybe we should get off the dance floor," She whispered.

"Peri my dear, dear Peri," He said. "This exactly what were I want us to be."

And he almost sounded like her Doctor.

"What?" She said.

"I never told you then…" He began. "I was afraid you'd laugh… I was to full of bravado and bluster…""Never told me what?" She asked.

"How special you were to me." He said.

"Me, special?" She shook her head."No, no… I mean it. I really, really cared for you Peri I just didn't--." He said.

"You sure have a funny showing it," Peri said.

"But I loved you. I regret that, I never told you when I had the chance. That I never showed you how much I really cared." He said.

"You loved me?" She asked."Yes," He said lowering his eyes. "I was in love you with you, head over heels. But I couldn't let you know… oh no… Not then.. I had to be big and shouty and important."

She laughed and then looked over at the table were her Doctor was sitting with the scientists. He wasn't talking any more. He was staring out at the dance floor watching her.

"I think… I'd like to stop dancing with you." She said. "It's been nice meeting you… well I know you but I mean…"He smiled. "It's alright. Go on Perpugilliam. Go to me."

And she walked over to her Doctor.

"So Doctor," She asked. "Would you care to dance?"

"Me? Dance weren't you just dancing with me a minute ago?" He said."How did you know?" She asked."I'm a Timelord Peri," He sighed.

"Still you want to dance Doctor?" She asked.

"Alright, if want." He sighed rolling eyes.

He took her hand and she lead him on the dance floor. She put her arms around him. And he slowly gently put his arms around her. She smiled.

"What were you talking about with him?" He asked.

"Nothing important," She said and kissed him once lightly on the lips.


End file.
